A great place to live

Springfield and Sangamon County aren’t just
great places to visit; they’re also great places to live. The capital
city and the nearly two dozen smaller communities located in and around the
city make up a county that offers many attractive reasons for you to make
the Land of Lincoln your home. In addition to being the center of state government,
the area has a rich and diverse business market, lower-than-average
cost-of-living index, and excellent community-oriented neighborhoods. Many
people who live here can attest that both Springfield and Sangamon County
offer a quality of life that blends the best of urban and rural
environments. With a population of approximately 113,000, the city
of Springfield comprises more than half of the estimated 205,527 people (as
of 2005) living in the Springfield metro area, which includes both Sangamon
and Menard counties. Within a 50-mile radius of the Springfield community
lives a population of more than 550,000. In addition, more than 1 million
visitors and tourists come here each year. Springfield is located in the central part of the
state, at the intersection of Interstates 55 and 72. Its close proximity to
other large cities in the state and even neighboring states makes it
attractive. Chicago is 200 miles northeast of Springfield, St. Louis is 100
miles to the southwest, and Indianapolis is 195 miles east. COST OF LIVING There’s good news for those who want to live the
American dream of buying a nice home at a reasonable price: Springfield has
been rated the second most affordable housing market in America and ranked
one of the top 10 least-expensive places to live. Despite the fact the cost
of living here is lower than the national average and housing is relatively
inexpensive, many options — including new construction in flourishing
subdivisions, renovated downtown apartment spaces, and majestic and
charming homes in historic neighborhoods — are available. The per capita income in the Springfield metro area is
slightly more than $37,000, close to the national average. The median
household effective buying income is $50,521 (adjusted to 2005 dollars).
Although the income is not as high as that of larger metro areas, the cost
of living is moderate, with the median sales price of an existing
single-family home around $107,400 (2005 dollars). Springfield is ranked
the fourth most affordable metro area in the United States, making it an
ideal place in which to enjoy a comfortable life and raise a family. JOB MARKET Springfield has a diversified economic base, balanced
between the public and private sectors. Although state government is the
area’s largest employer, with 17,000 workers, it’s not the only
game in town. Springfield’s focus has long been viewed solely as the
center for state government, but the capital city has developed into a
profitable business arena, with a variety of small and large companies
making an international impact on the global market. The city supports
products for export throughout the world, ranging from cake mixes and
livestock feed to space-age electronics, and serves as headquarters for 12
nationally known insurance companies and more than 165 state, regional, and
national associations. Home to three major hospitals and a world-renowned
heart-surgery institute, the community is also recognized as a leader in
the health-care industry. The top five employers in Sangamon County are the
state of Illinois, Memorial Health System (5,200), the Illinois National
Guard (2,700), St. John’s Hospital (2,566), and the Springfield
Public Schools (2,019). Rounding out the top 10, in order, are the city of
Springfield, the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, the
Horace Mann Cos., the University of Illinois at Springfield, and AT&T.
The top five private manufacturers in Sangamon County are Copley Press
(newspaper publishing), DICKEY-john Corp. (electronic instruments), E.L.
Pruitt Company (sheet-metal ventilation equipment and pipe fabrication),
Honeywell/Hobbs Corp. (switches and shifters), and Nudo Products Inc.
(laminated finished products). WEATHERThe weather in Springfield is like that in much of the
Midwest — it changes frequently. The average temperatures ranges from
70 to 80 degrees in the summer months and 30 to 40 degrees in the winter
months and swings from about 16 degrees in the winter to 87 degrees in the
summer. The overall average annual temperature is 53 degrees. You can enjoy
four distinct seasons in Springfield without extended periods of extreme
cold or heat. The location of Sangamon County, midway between the
Continental Divide and the Atlantic Ocean, offers a typical continental
climate with cold, rather dry winters and warm, humid summers. The dog days
of summer and cold winter days are offset by mild temperatures and
beautiful conditions in the spring and fall. LOCAL GOVERNMENT Sangamon County is governed by a 29-member board whose
members are elected from single-member districts. Each County Board member
serves a four-year term, with approximately half of the board elected in
alternating two-year periods. The county also has nine elected offices, seven
departments, and six agencies or offices related to the county by special
county tax levy or budgeting through the County Board. Most Sangamon County
government offices are located in the Sangamon County Building, 200 S.
Ninth St. The sheriff’s department is located at No. 1
Sheriff’s Plaza, behind the County Building, linked by a walk-through
an entrance on Adams between Ninth and 10th streets. The city of Springfield is governed by a mayor and a
10-member City Council. The mayor and members of the council serve
four-year terms. Unlike county elections, city elections are nonpartisan. VOTER ELIGIBILITY To register to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, at
least 18 years of age, and a resident of the precinct for 30 days before
the next election. You may register in various places, including
driver’s-license facilities; the Departments of Public Aid, Public
Health, and Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities; or in person at
the Sangamon County Election Office, 200 S. Ninth St., Room 105, of the
County Building. Office hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Two forms of
identification are required, and you must show proof of your name and
current address. More information on upcoming elections and mail-in
registration forms are available at the election office or by calling
217-753-6740. You may also contact your county central-committee party
headquarters to obtain the name of a deputy registrar in your community.
The Democratic County Headquarters is located at 118 S. Fourth St.
(217-544-0808), and the Republican County Headquarters is located at 412 E.
Lawrence (217-528-6267). For further information or assistance, you may
want to contact the Illinois State Board of Elections, also located in
Springfield (217-782-4141). Additional information may be found on the Web
site of the State Board of Elections: www.elections.state.il.us. AREA COMMUNITIES Springfield may be the largest, but it certainly
isn’t the only city in Sangamon County. About two dozen distinct
communities are located here, ranging from tiny towns such as New Berlin
and Cantrall to rapidly growing towns such as Chatham, Rochester, Riverton,
and Sherman. Several communities, such as Leland Grove and Jerome, even
appear to be in the middle of Springfield, but each has a unique
personality and appealing reasons for you to call it home. FINDING A HOME If you’re visiting the sites in downtown
Springfield, you don’t have to go far to connect with (almost)
everything you want to know about housing in Springfield. The Greater
Springfield Chamber of Commerce, located at 3 Old State Capitol Plaza, on
the south side of the Old State Capitol Mall, has a free homebuyer’s
packet waiting for you. Inside are a large street map of Springfield and
the surrounding area and guides to homes to buy and apartments to rent. Hot spots — fast-growing upscale developments
worth visiting — include Tara Hills, off Bruns Lane on the west side
of town, and Panther Creek, between Springfield and Chatham. Real-estate
professionals consider Springfield a buyer’s market. Pete Steward is president of the Capital Area
Association of Realtors, comprising about 700 members. The average home
sale price in 2006 was $99,000, a 1 percent decrease from the 2005 figure.
The association does not recommend particular neighborhoods. Visit the
association’s Web site, www.seehouses.com, to find everything you
want to know about buying or building a house. You may want to find an apartment where you can get to
know the lay of the land before buying a home. If that’s true,
Apartment Mart of Springfield is for you. Visit
www.apartmentmartofspringfield.com to learn more. Many neighborhood associations have Web sites you may
want to visit to get a feel for the houses and people in specific parts of
the city. Visit www.springfield.il.us/oped/neighborhoods.htm to learn more.
Perhaps living in Springfield’s metro area,
famous for its 10-minute rush hours, is not for you. If so, visit
GSCC’s guide to relocating countywide at www.gscc.org/relocation.htm.
There you will find a veritable cornucopia of facts and figures about
Sangamon County communities beyond the capital city. GETTING UTILITY SERVICE The task of setting up local utilities is a relatively
painless procedure. All you need are a few forms of identification, the
right contact information, and a little patience. · For water and electric: To initiate
service, you must appear in person at the customer-service office of City
Water, Light & Power, located in Room 101 of the Municipal Center West,
at the corner of Seventh and Monroe streets. Known locally as CWLP,
Springfield’s municipally owned and operated utility company supplies
the urban area and nine surrounding communities and public water districts
with water from Lake Springfield, a 6.6-square-mile manmade lake.
Springfield’s water rates are among the lowest in Illinois. When you go to the office, you must provide two forms
of identification, including a state-issued photo ID such as a
driver’s license. A $50 service deposit may be required of
residential and business applicants who are renting property and have not
had at least 12 consecutive months of CWLP service. If you are renting, a
signed copy of your lease is required. If you have proof that you own the
home, or if you are renting and have a letter of credit from another
utility company showing that you’ve been a good customer for a least
a year, CWLP will waive the $50 deposit. The office is open 8 a.m.-4:30
p.m. Mon.-Fri. For more information, call 217-789-2030 or visit the utility
company’s Web site, www.cwlp.com. To save time when you come to the
customer-service office to apply for new service, download and print a copy
of an application for new service, fill it out, and bring it with you.· For natural gas: If your new residence is
located inside the Springfield city limits, the application process begins
with a call to Ameren at 888-672-5252 (toll-free) or 217-753-5513. If you
have no bad credit with the company, service may be started as early as the
next day. You will receive an application form in the mail that you can
sign and return along with copies of your driver’s license and Social
Security card. If your credit is bad or nonexistent, you will have to
provide an extra ID, such as a voter-registration card. In some parts of
this region, Ameren may also be your electric provider. · For telephone service: Local phone service in
Springfield is provided by SBC, McLeod USA, and AT&T. Although you can
establish service with a single phone call, it may take more time than you
would expect. First check the company’s Web site so you’ll know
which packages and options you want. Don’t forget to ask about local
toll calls if you make a large number of calls to nearby communities. Call
SBC (800-244-4444), McLeod USA (800-333-4059), or AT&T (800-222-0300)
to learn your options. · For cable television: In many areas of
Springfield, you may be unable to view the three major networks without
some form of cable TV. Insight Communications offers a range of plans and
products, including HDTV. Visit the Web site, www.insight.com, before
calling to determine which options you want, or call 217-788-5656. Greene
County Cable Television provides a variety of plans for the areas of
Williamsville, Sherman, Riverton, Athens, and Petersburg. Call 217-793-8939
or 800-274-5789 for more information. · For trash pickup and curbside recycling: The
city does not provide garbage pickup, but several private disposal services
operate in Springfield and Sangamon County. Residential pickup rates, which
currently start at $11 per month, are regulated by the city. You may want
to ask your real-estate agent, neighbors, or friends for information to
help you determine which haulers serve your neighborhood, or look in the
Yellow Pages under “Garbage and Rubbish Removal.”